Waterfowl Ammo
Steel shot changed waterfowl hunting forever, and the forums have never stopped arguing about it. You've got the 'Cheap Steel' crowd who says a dead duck is a dead duck, and the 'Premium Payload' believers who insist that an extra $10 a box is worth it for cleaner kills. In 2026, the real innovation is in 'Blended' loads—mixing steel with bismuth or tungsten to get the best of both worlds without a second mortgage.
What Separates Good from Great
Steel vs. Bismuth vs. Tungsten
Steel is affordable but less dense than lead, meaning you need to increase shot size (and accept more pellet drop). Bismuth is 22% denser than steel and safe for old guns, but it's brittle and expensive. Tungsten is the 'magic bullet'—denser than lead—but at $5+ per shell, it's a 'finishing' round, not an 'all-day' load.
Payload Weight & Velocity
More pellets = more hits, but heavier payloads kick harder and can slow down your swing. The forum consensus for pass-shooting is high velocity (1,500+ FPS) to reduce lead. For decoying birds at 25 yards, a slower, heavier payload with better patterns is king.
Shot Size Selection
The general rule: #2 steel for big ducks and geese over decoys, #4 steel for teal and close decoying mallards, BB or BBB steel for high-altitude geese. If you're shooting bismuth or tungsten, you can often drop one or two shot sizes due to the increased density.
The Call
The forum 'default.' It's not fancy, but it patterns well and won't destroy your wallet. This is the ammo most guys actually shoot 90% of the time.
The smoothest-shooting bismuth on the market. 'Buffer-less' technology means tighter patterns. This is what the guides are shooting.
18 g/cc density. A #9 TSS pellet hits like a #5 lead. It's absurdly expensive but deadly for late-season birds that have seen everything.
A steel/bismuth blend that splits the difference in price and performance. It's the 'gateway drug' to premium ammo.
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